


stronger than before

by elysianrogue (l_ecrivain)



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Nightmares, Sleepy Cuddles, girlfriend love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26743324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/l_ecrivain/pseuds/elysianrogue
Summary: Adora has a nightmare, her girls are there to help
Relationships: Adora/Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 77





	stronger than before

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday Daisy!! ily and hope you have a good day! <3<3<3

The light was blinding against the empty darkness surrounding her.

Adora drops to her knees, hot tears burning her cheeks. The familiar ache spreads through her chest, threatening to tear her apart. She wraps her arms around herself, grabbing fistfuls of her jacket with her shaking hands. Her throat feels like it's closing over from the building panic.

This wasn't right.

This-

This already happened.

Her sword--She-Ra's sword--drifts down from the empty air above her, hovering inches away from her face. 

Unsteadily, but almost desperately--desperate to get out, to end this--she wraps her fingers around the hilt. It was warm to the touch. Everything about it was familiar. Taking a deep breath, she yanks it back toward her.

Suddenly, there is red.

It flashes around her, before creeping forward, spider-webbing out of the center of the sword and up her arm.

A familiar voice snarls, "Why don't we try something new?"

It burns.

She drops the sword and it is dark again.

"She-Ra was supposed to  _ save _ us!"

Adora was standing now. She stumbles, disoriented from the sudden change.

Glimmer is here.

Wait-

She looks around frantically. They are in a castle hall in Brightmoon. Her surroundings are skewed. The bright colours of the castle are marred and pale in comparison to their usual grandeur.

"-in a worse place than ever since  _ you _ showed up!"

Panic shot through her chest like lightning. She chokes on it, barely getting out a sound. "Glim," she whimpers, nearly dropping to her knees again.

_ I'm trying my best. Why can't you see that? _

"Well, maybe-"

Her heart is pounding in the back of her skull.

"-isn't good enough!"

She clenches her fists, trying to stop herself from shaking.

"-my mother would still be here!"

She couldn't breathe. Glimmer's face was a blur in front of her, but she already had her expression from that day etched in her mind. Each line of anger and grief as familiar as Catra's freckles or Glimmer's curves.

Or her own scars.

The four lines on her back sear, like the injury is new again, and the image in front of her flickers.

It is bright again. Completely white. Blinding but not nearly anything like the beginning. A blank canvas.

And then it shatters.

Sickly green light pours out of the cracks. It makes her feel sick.

An image flickers in front of her. In and out. In. Out. In. Out. In-

"Catra!" she cries, stepping forward.

It's not  _ her _ Catra though.

"Disappointing," a voice echoes.  _ Prime _ . It's mingled with Catra's voice.

The Catra in front of her doesn't move. Her lips part slightly, but nothing comes out. The sickly green fades from her eyes leaving familiar blue and gold. And pain.

A sad smile pulls at the brunette lips seconds before she is seized by a shock of electricity.

_ The chip! _

Adora bounds forward, reaching out...trying...she just needs…Catra falls backward.

And then the ground gives way.

She's falling.

How long has she been falling?

Panic ensnares her senses. The wind against her face is the only indication of her free fall. Everything is white again.

She reaches a hand out, clawing desperately at the warm magic she knows-- _ knows- _ -is inside her.

"For the honour of-"

Adora jolts awake, sweat dripping down her temples, loose hairs glued to her cheeks. She's panting. She can't-she can't catch her breath.

Instinctively, she sits up and tangles her fingers into her tank top at her sides, hugging herself tightly. Someone's moving beside her. Her thoughts are too muddled to figure out who.

A blue and gold gaze meets her own. There's worry in it, but also a familiar steadiness.

"Hey, hey Adora. It's okay. You're okay."

She feels another person shift slightly behind her and to her right. A gentle hand moves to rest on her arm.  _ Glimmer _ .

She can feel herself shaking. She's breathing. She can feel her chest rising and falling too much, too fast. She tugs tighter on her shirt.

Gentle fingers trail her jaw before cupping her face. She can feel the slight pinch of claws, but it doesn't hurt.  _ Catra _ .

Her ragged breathing slows and evens to a more normal pace as she pressed her face into Catra's palm. She closes her eyes.

When she finally feels like she can speak again, the first words that leave her mouth probably aren't the right ones.

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

She stumbles. "I- I woke you up. It's late- we- I shouldn't-"

"Shhh, it's okay," Glimmer hushes, gently pulling one Adora's hands out of her tight embrace around herself and intertwining their fingers, squeezing reassuringly.

Adora's shoulders slump. She sighs.

Catra smiles softly at her. "C'mon," she says, "come lay with us again."

Adora nods. Her face is cool from the dampness of sweat and tears. Glimmer uses the sleeve of her pyjama to wipe it away. Adora cracks a vulnerable smile at the smaller girl. Glimmer smiles and pulls her back into the bed.

She rests her head on Glimmer's chest. Catra wraps her arms around Adora's waist and rests her chin over her shoulder. "This okay?"

"Yeah," Adora says. "This- yeah, this is nice."

Glimmer pushes her fingers through Adora's hair. The blonde melts into the sensation, sighing happily. "Do you wanna talk about it?" asks Glimmer.

Adora swallows. "It was just-" she stops.

Her girlfriends wait patiently for her to continue. Glimmer's gentle movements continue while Adora thinks.

"What if I wasn't good enough?" she says carefully. "What if-" she can feel Catra looking at her, "I was barely enough. I almost- what if I couldn't save you? I know I- I can't save everyone, but…" she trails off.

Glimmer looks ready to protest, but Catra gives her a soft but meaningful look. The princess waits.

"Adora." Catra pauses. Glimmer smiles and she takes it. "Adora, look at me for a sec."

Adora turns. Enough to look at Catra and still remain sandwiched between her girls. 

"You did save us," Catra says firmly. "You came and saved  _ me _ . Even after everything. Even after I literally told you to go back. To leave me behind. But you said hell no and you did it anyway.  _ You saved me _ , Adora. And if you did it then, you can do it again. You're stronger than ever before."

"And you have us," adds Glimmer.

Catra grins. "We all have each other." She pauses. " _ God, _ that was cheesy." She makes a sour face. "Too cheesy."

"It was cute," says Glimmer. "And she's right. You'll always be enough, Adora."

Adora bites her lip. "Okay."

Catra nuzzles her nose against Adora's before kissing her lightly. "I love you, dummy. Are you okay?"

Adora nods. Glimmer places a light kiss on her forehead. "Love you."

Sleepiness washes over the blonde. She sighs. "Love you too. Both of you. So much." She yawns.

Catra snickers. "Bedtime again?"

Glimmer snuggles into Adora's arms. "Bedtime."

Adora hums in agreement and pulls Catra closer. They fall asleep warm, safe, and happy.

And nightmare-less. Definitely nightmare-less. 


End file.
